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Comp. Animal Behavior > Exam 1 > Flashcards

Exam 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Which of the following are true about behavior?

A. Behavioral choices exhibited by an animal are always adaptive
B. An ultimate explanation invokes evolutionary or historical mechanisms
C. Behavioral traits evolve to benefit a species
D. Most behaviors are determined by a single gene

A

B

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2
Q

Behavioral traits are typically _______

A

Polygenic

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3
Q

Genes involved in regulating behavior are typically ____

A

Pleiotropic

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4
Q

What are Tinbergen’s 4 Questions?

A
  1. What is the immediate causation of behavior
  2. How does the behavior develop?
  3. What is the evolutionary history of the behavior?
  4. What is the adaptive function of the behavior?
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5
Q

Example of Proximate approach

A

Analyze levels of stress hormones in the blood after the animal flees from an aversive stimulus

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6
Q

Example of ultimate approach

A

Study survival and genetic relatedness analyses to determine the evolutionary history of the behavior

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7
Q

Origin of Natural Selection

A

Darwin

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8
Q

Proximate and ultimate causes are _____

A

Complementary

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9
Q

Natural Selection is _____

A

A mechanism by which evolution could occur

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10
Q

Requirements of Natural Selection

A
  1. Variability
  2. Heritability
  3. More offspring produced than can survive
  4. Some variations are more successful
  5. Most favorable variations more likely to survive & reproduce
  6. Naturally selected individuals contribute more offspring to later generations
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11
Q

Natural selection is a ______

A

Passive filtering mechanism

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12
Q

Selection acts on heritable _____ variation in traits

A

Individual (not group)

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13
Q

_____ acting on differences among ____ within a population will usually have a stronger evolutionary effect than _____ acting on differences among _____

A

Darwinian selection
Individuals
Group selection
Groups

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14
Q

Evidence suggesting evolution

A

Geology (gradualism)
Homology
Paleontology

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15
Q

Example of Instinctive Behavior

A

A lizard flees from the sidewalk when a human approaches

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16
Q

Ethology

A

Focus on behavior under natural conditions

Views behavior as an evolutionarily adaptive trait

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17
Q

Behavioral ecology

A

Evolutionary basis for animal behavior due to ecological pressures

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18
Q

Adaptive significance

A

Beneficial qualities (increased survival and reproduction) a trait conveys

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19
Q

Genetic Differences

A

Can lead to behavioral differences that in turn drive differences in reproductive success

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20
Q

Scientific Approach

A
  1. Observations
  2. Form questions
  3. Hypotheses
  4. Testable Predictions
  5. Gather Data
  6. Refine, Alter, Expand or Reject Hypotheses
  7. Develop general theories
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21
Q

Variation + Heritability + Differential reproduction

A

Evolutionary Change

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22
Q

Genes

A

Segments of DNA encoding information for synthesis of proteins

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23
Q

Alleles

A

Different forms of a gene

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24
Q

Adaptation

A

Characteristic that confers higher inclusive fitness to individuals than any other existing alternative exhibited by other individuals within the population

25
Q

Instinct

A

Hereditary inborn knkwledge

26
Q

Methods to understand how genes influence behavior

A
  1. Crossbreeding experiments
  2. Artificial selection
  3. Hold environment constant (common garden, cross fostering)
27
Q

Common garden experiment

A

If differences persist in 2 pop. w/ different behavior, then differences have genetic basis

28
Q

The common garden experiment _____

A

Removes major environmental effects on behavior

29
Q

Cross fostering

A

Parenting behavior is learned & inherited (Montane & Prairie voles)

30
Q

The control of complex behaviors are typically ____

A

Polygenic

31
Q

Behavior genes are often _____

A

Pleiotropic

32
Q

Innate releasing mechanism

A

Neural network that processes a sign stimulus and then coordinates a fixed action pattern

33
Q

How nervous system modulates behavior

A
  • neuron firing rate increases with strength of stimulus
  • number of neurons firing increases with strength of stimulus
  • some nerve impulses require neurotransmitter
34
Q

Learning

A
  • Change in behavior based on experience
  • Ability to learn is costly
  • Allows plasticity and flexibility
35
Q

Duetting in tropical wrens

A

Juveniles acquire duetting rules during early development

36
Q

____ change the probability of a particular behavior

A

Hormones

37
Q

A special case of learning is a ______ in response to a _____ stimulus

A

Fixed Action Pattern
Sign

Ex: Gull chicks

38
Q

Feature detection

A

Nervous system sorts key info from background noise

Ex: Toad vision ignores perpendicular movement

39
Q

Audiogram

A

Perpendicular axis: threshold in dB SPL
Horizontal axis: Frequency in kHz

Peaks mean different functions

40
Q

Doppler effect in bats

A

Compensation by adjusting call frequency

(Lowers as it gets closer to prey

41
Q

Frequency sensitivity

A

Bats discern small frequency differences within acute range of hearing

42
Q

Place Theory

A

Ability to sense frequency depends on different sound frequencies selectively vibrating different areas of the cochlea

43
Q

Stimulus filtering

A

Capacity to focus on relevant stimuli and filter out background of less relevant stimulus

44
Q

What constraints do bats face in terms of using echolocation

A

Spreading losses, doppler shift, call masking returning echo

45
Q

What do bats need to be successful at echolocation

A

Acute hearing & sensitivity in processing sound information

46
Q

What adaptations have bat species developed to echolocate prey

A

Doppler shift compensation, auditory fovea, sensitivity in auditory cortex, specialized neurons to detect echoes

47
Q

Hormones have major critical functions in ___

A

Reproduction & Survival

48
Q

Organizational effects

A

Early development
Specific critical period
Irreversible

49
Q

Activational effects

A

Adulthood
Reversible
Only when hormone is present

50
Q

Why did young and colleagues perform gonadectomies on experimental groups?

A

Eliminate natural production of hormones by animals to experimentally control hormone exposure

51
Q

Hormones mediate how behaviors change in response to _____

A

External stimuli

52
Q

Why are spotted antbirds aggressive year round, although they have low sex steroid levels during non-breeding season?

A

Increased sensitivity to sex-steroids by non-reproductive brain

53
Q

Androgens during gestation mediate ___

A

Aggression

Ex: genital masculinization in spotted hyena

54
Q

Cognitive ethology

A

Clark’s nutcracker located caches by remembering where they put them

55
Q

Canid generalization

A

All canids are good at interpreting social cues

Dogs vs. Wolves

56
Q

Is imprinting proximate or ultimate?

A

Proximate because it has to do with development

57
Q

True or False: Instinctual learning can be altered through development

A

False

58
Q

Compare/Contrast instinct, imprinted, and learned behavior

A

Learned behavior develops over time with experience while instincts are innate and cannot be altered through development. Imprinting is a type of learned behavior that happens in a critical period. Imprinting and learned behavior are both proximate as they involve development of the animal.

Comp. Animal Behavior (2 decks)

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